After wiping out as host of last year's disastrous Formula One Grand Prix, Toyota Motor Corp. is under the gun to prove it can run a major motor racing event at its Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, scheduled this year for Oct 10 to 12.
Last September, many of the 282,000 motor sports fans who turned out for the three-day event at Fuji were dismayed at the lack of organization. Traffic problems left thousands waiting for hours in long lines in the rain for shuttle buses and toilet facilities were inadequate. Organizers ended up giving refunds to about 7,250 people who claimed their view of the track from makeshift seats set up behind permanent seats near the first turn of the 4,563-meter racing course was obstructed.
The track operator, Fuji International Speedway Co., is 93.4 percent owned by Toyota.